boho bag

Inspiration from Texas...

After seeing so many gorgeous bags on my road trips to Texas, they all inspired me to create my own boho style bag. I have always loved the boho style. It must be my wandering free spirit 💜 And, I love having something unique!

 

I found an antique, leather mail bag. And, I just had to buy it... perfect for my boho bag! It is such a gorgeous old bag. I absolutely love antique and vintage 💜

It was so much fun personalizing. To it, I added a beautiful fox tail I bought waiting to find the perfect bag. Eeek! They look great together! Needing a little bling, I attached a lavender beaded necklace I already had. A vintage silk scarf added more color and texture. The ivory and taupe scarf with a polka dot pattern add a soft touch to the leather bag. Then to complete the boho style of my antique bag, I attached an old brass number tag from our cattle farm. It adds something very special to always carry with me. I found a shop on Etsy that made custom canvas straps. So, I can also use my mail bag a crossbody bag.

I think it looks fantastic! I am truly in love how my boho bag turned out. Ugh. It makes my heart smile 💜

 

Friday on the Farm

 

It was a busy Friday on the farm. We were able to get quite a bit of work done on a nice fall day.

We have very happy cows. Two herds of cows are now grazing cornstalks. After corn is harvested, we open up fields for cows to graze. Grazing cornstalks ( stover ) in fields extends the grazing season through fall. The cows eat the corn residue ( husks and leaves ) and grass in the waterways.
 

[ view agriculture photos @ monicastevens.photoshelter.com ]

Friday on the Farm

 

Between unloading corn and filling a grain bin, I checked on the field of rye. The rye has grown about two inches since last week. Through the corn residue, the rye is growing. The field of rye is starting to green.

 

forage peas: week 2

It is week two for the forage peas.

The forage peas were no-till drilled on October 2. And since then, the peas have received a good amount of moisture. The field of forage peas have had a nice start to growing.

 

Hopefully favorable weather conditions will continue for further growth into winter.

I look forward to scouting the field of Austrian Winter Peas next week!

farm chick favorite

So, I am addicted baseball caps...

On my road trip to Texas, I found a cap [ and tees ] at Lazy J Ranch Wear. I fell in love. How can I not love a cap with a Hereford bull?!

This is my favorite new cap! You will be finding me wearing it all the time.

#farmchickfavorite

Friday on the Farm

So, I am checking on the field of rye this morning. It is snowing. The flakes of snow were falling from the sky and melting on the rye.  

[ agriculture photos @ monicastevens.photoshelter.com ]

forage peas: week 1

We drilled peas on October 2 [ post from seeding peas ] and rye on October 3. The Austrian Winter Peas are forage peas. They will be chopped and bagged next spring as silage for our cows.

emerging peas

Today, I scouted the field. I was happy to see that the forage peas were emerging! And, I am excited to see how much they grow next week!

Friday on the Farm

We finished baling hay for the 2018 season!

 

It is so nice to have our hay rolled up for 2018. We have been busy cutting, tedding, raking, baling, and moving hay over the past four months.

 

During the hay season, we baled 400 large round bales and 1800 small square bales for our cows, calves, and bulls. We feed the round bales throughout the winter and spring. And, we feed the square bales to our pregnant cows during calving season in the spring.

 

I love seeing the new growth of alfalfa, clover, and brome after it has been cut and baled. It is beautiful to see the tender, emerald green leaves glowing under the warmth of the late summer sun.

[ view agriculture photos @ monicastevens.blogspot.com ]

Friday on the Farm

It was a gorgeous sunset. As I was feeding cattle, I enjoyed the beauty of the sun setting behind the barn and feed shed. I stood in amazement. The sky was a watercolor with shades of purple and orange. Peaceful.

 

[ agriculture photos @ monicastevens.photoshelter.com ] 

the farm office

the farm office is the heart of the cattle farm...

  

On our Shorthorn cattle farm, it is very important to have a nice office that is purposeful and well organized. I love to be and need to be organized. Since I often work long hours at times throughout the year in my farm office, I also want a space I love. If I have an office I adore and enjoy working in, I will be much more productive. And, I do love working in my office! I think it's pretty cute...  

 

functional  +  funky

 

black saddle chair
black painted captain chair

laptop & wireless printer

iPad

telephone

desk calendar

sea grass basket [ calendar, patterned binder, portfolios, and Vigortone manual ]

b&w print magazine holder [ natural paper file folders labeled with a black Sharpie ]

clear lamp with burlap shade

2 barn board shelves

clock

sea grass basket [ black binders and a clipboard for cattle records ]
clear + turquoise tote [ calving records ]

black tray [ additional cattle records ]
purple sticky notes

patterned notepads
mini clipboard + notepad

binder clips in an antique Atlas jar

Sharpies [ in my favorite colors...lilac, purple, turquoise, magenta, orange & lime ]

In three desk drawers...
drawer #1    paperclips, business cards, notepads, rubber stamps, and ink

drawer #2    3 hole punch, pens, scissors, washi tape, and string

drawer #3    printer paper, printer ink, file folders, and legal pads

Rustic...the style I have always loved. My favorite colors to use in decorating are black and brown. Then, I add pops of color throughout... purple, yellow, or turquoise. The wall of my office is painted black. And, I absolutely LOVE it! It coordinates well with the two barn board shelves above the desk! The black wall creates a warm and cozy space for my farm office.

A clear lamp with a burlap shade sits on my desk. It adds a warm light as I work. A desk calendar with ultra-fine Sharpies keep track of everything important on the farm. A sea grass basket and b&w print magazine holder are in close reach of working at my desk... while being organized and cute. The wall clock hangs just above the desk. It can easily be seen to help keep me on task.

Onto the backs of black buttons, I glued tacks. The tacks were then pressed into the baskets. So simple and cute! They add an adorable touch to the sea grass baskets. One of these sea grass baskets holds black binders of cattle records. This basket allows quick access to records off a barn board shelf while looking rustic chic.
 

 

I had two extra wood chairs and decided to paint them black. They were sanded for a rustic look. It is perfect for an extra seating at the side of my desk!

 

To add a little of my style to my office

. soy candle

. wax warmer [ linen scented ]

. edition of Feeds and Feeding textbook

. turquoise antique Ball jars - Grandma Stevens

. antique feed scale - Grandpa Stevens
. primitive sheep figurine

. farm photos
. rope knot [ purchased @ Bishop Hill ]
 

feeds and feeding - one of my favorites

 

rope knot from bishop hill

Hanging above my desk is this cute rope knot from Bishop Hill! I love it in my office!

 

 

 

My favorite farm photo is a b&w print of my dad as a little boy bottle feeding his lamb. It is so cute! I will always cherish it. The framed photo goes well with the antique scale of my grandpa Stevens.

capture life

capture life...perfect for this agriculture photographer! I found this adorable wood sign at Barn Owl Primitives! It is on a barn board shelf beside a antique turquoise Ball jar.

my favorite mug from magnolia market

 I adore this mug! It was a from my visit to Magnolia Market in Waco, TX! 

renovated calving area

We renovated an area of a barn for calving. We were in need of extra room during the calving season...especially with cold and wet weather. This renovated area of the barn gives us a permanent space for calving assistance, as well as flexibility for additional space during calving. In the fall of 2015, concrete was poured as a floor for the For-Most calving tub and cow/calf pens.





wood chip base spread for the pens



Two 10 x 12 pens were set up in the back of the barn to use for cows and their newborn calves, or for monitoring a cow close to calving. And if we delivered a calf in the calving tub, we can easily move the pair into a pen next to it. We use wood chips as base  in the pens to keep calves clean and dry. The wood chips work very well for calving. With using them, we can keep the pens clean throughout the day. We use straw in the corners of the pens as warm bedding for calves.

In the renovated calving area, I am able to store our OB equipment near the For-Most calving tub. This is perfect for quick access when we are in need of assisting a cow in calving. There is also plenty of space to store square bales of hay, feed, extra gates, a pitch fork and broom, extra wood chips, straw for bedding, and even my 4-wheeler.

I decided to paint the back wall of the pens. My dad wondered why I would since the cows would paint it themselves. So, I painted a shade of brown to camouflage the cow manure.

Two sheets of steel were removed from the roof and clear panels were installed for additional lighting in the calving area. They worked amazingly! These clear panels let in so much natural light...especially so in the pens at the back of the barn. They also bring in some warmth from the sun.

 

New wiring and lights will be completed in this area of the barn for improved lighting to work at night. And, my plan is to install barn cameras in the near future.

feeding silage

We opened the silage bag this afternoon. It smelled so good!

 

 

In September, we chopped six acres of corn and bagged it to store until fed. The silage will be used as feed for our calves.

 

 

When we opened the silage bag, we were so pleased with the quality! I will be sending a sample of silage into a lab for feed analysis.

The silage will be fed along with rolled corn and grass hay. With a tractor, we scooped up a few loader buckets full of silage and dropped it into one of our SI Feeders wagons. It did not take long for the calves to figure out silage tasted good. The wagon was barely in the lot before it was surrounded by happy calves.

farm chick favorite

* home *

texas + illinois

These adorable baseball caps are from Pink Armadillos! I ordered custom caps for my cattle chick friend and I. The baseball caps are black and tan. And, I chose turquoise glitter for our states... Texas + Illinois. I am in love with them! And am sure she will enjoy it too!

 

#farmchickfavorite

a day at the ballpark with dad

Eek! I got to check something off my 'greener pastures' list... go to a Chicago Cubs baseball game with my dad! And, I got to take him to his first Cubs game! I was beyond excited to do this!

 

Since this was my dad's first baseball game, I bought him a shirt to wear. One morning after cattle chores, I walked into my parents' house to find my dad searching for his Cubs baseball cap to wear with his shirt. Pretty cute! It made me smile knowing he was excited about the baseball game.

 

After morning cattle chores, we boarded the train for Chicago on September 23. Once we arrived at Union Station, dad and I took The L to Wrigley Field. I loved watching dad see Wrigley Field as we approached.   

 

the friendly confines

We arrived at The Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field! Dad and I enjoyed lunch and a beer outdoors at a restaurant in Wrigleyville before the game. Then, we walked back to the ballpark before the start of the game for a few photos.

 

dad with ernie banks... mr cub

 

clark the cub :)

Dad and I had a little fun taking a photo with Clark the Cub outside Wrigley! It is one of my favorite photos from our day at Wrigley.

 

  

We had perfect seats. I am so grateful I had the chance to buy the tickets. Dad was elated. He loved the view of the ballpark from our seats. And, I think he soaked up every second at Wrigley Field. It made me smile.
  

 

Wrigley was all Cubbie blue. And, the energy in the ballpark was absolutely incredible. I have never experienced a game like it. It was amazing!
 

 

 

 

Being at a baseball game at Wrigley Field, gives me chills! So much history in this beautiful brick and ivy covered ballpark at Clark and Addison. I am so glad my dad experienced a game at The Friendly Confines...the oldest ballpark in the National League.

I have been a Cubs fan since the 80s. Andre Dawson, Shawon Dunston, Mark Grace, and Ryne Sandburg were players I admired as I grew playing tee-ball and softball...especially Dunston since I played shortstop. 

 

 

It was such an amazing day! I LoVe baseball...I am a lifelong fan of the Chicago Cubs...a day at Wrigley Field with my dad...the priceless expression on my dad's face when we walked into the ballpark...singing Take Me out to the Ball Game...the Cubbies won 5-0! PERFECT. 

 

Cubs win! Cubs win! The Chicago Cubs beat the Saint Louis Cardinals 5-0! What a game! I did not have much of a voice after the game. LOL!

 

 

 

We had a wonderful time! I will always remember the day at Wrigley Field with my dad!

 

#GoCubsGo    #FlyTheW

happy valentine's day!

Happy Valentine's Day from our snowy red, white, and roans!

 

Snow fell on this Valentine's Day. And, I couldn't resist taking a few photos of our cows in the falling snow.